1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a yogurt containing encapsulated lactic acid bacteria. More particularly, the present invention relates to a yogurt containing encapsulated lactic acid bacteria in which a large number of lactic acid bacteria-containing (hereinafter, referred to as xe2x80x9cL.A.B.-containingxe2x80x9d) capsules, which are packed with an acid resistant and intestine-soluble coating substance, are uniformly distributed in a liquid yogurt. L.A.B.-containing capsules contained in a drinkable and/or liquid yogurt are minimally chewed with the teeth, and are protected from the gastric acid within the stomach, so that the lactic acid bacteria can maximally survive until it reaches the intestine.
Further, the present invention relates to a method for producing (manufacturing) yogurt with encapsulated lactic acid bacteria, in which the yogurt with encapsulated lactic bacteria can be mass-produced by a simple and speedy process at a low cost.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In conventional yogurt, lactic acid bacteria are not encapsulated within an acid resistant and intestine-soluble coating substance. Therefore, when the lactic acid bacteria pass through the stomach, a majority of the lactic acid bacteria are killed.
Conventionally, semi-solid yogurt is produced with encapsulated lactic acid bacteria. In such conventional semi-solid yogurt, the yogurt is eaten with a spoon, and therefore, a majority of the lactic acid bacteria are killed by the gastric acid because the capsules are chewed by the teeth. Therefore, the survival rate of the lactic acid bacteria is low. That is, a majority of the lactic acid bacteria are killed before reaching the intestine, because the chewed capsules cannot protect the lactic acid bacteria from the gastric acid.
With conventional methods for producing semi-solid yogurt containing encapsulated lactic acid bacteria, a drinkable, liquid yogurt with encapsulated lactic acid bacteria cannot be produced. Therefore, the survival rate of the lactic acid bacteria cannot be maximized.
The present invention is intended to overcome the above-described disadvantages of the conventional techniques.
Therefore, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a yogurt with encapsulated lactic acid bacteria in which the lactic acid bacteria are protected from the gastric acid by being contained in acid resistant and intestine-soluble capsules, thereby maximizing the survival rate of the lactic acid bacteria until it reaches the intestine.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a method for producing yogurt containing encapsulated lactic acid bacteria which is simple and speedy, and the cost is low.
In achieving the above objectives, the yogurt with encapsulated lactic acid bacteria according to the present invention is characterized in that: a large number of L.A.B.-containing capsules are uniformly distributed in liquid yogurt, with the specific gravity of the liquid yogurt and the specific gravity of the L.A.B.-containing capsules being the same or substantially, the same. Thus the capsules are uniformly distributed in the drinkable, liquid yogurt, making the chewing of the capsules minimal which protects the lactic acid bacteria from being killed by the gastric acid whereby the survival rate of the lactic acid bacteria is maximized.
In another aspect of the present invention, the method for producing yogurt containing encapsulated lactic acid bacteria according to the present invention comprises steps of: preparing L.A.B.-containing capsules and liquid yogurt, wherein the specific gravity of the capsules and the specific gravity of the liquid yogurt are the same or substantially the same; placing the L.A.B.-containing capsules into a lower portion of a yogurt bottle; and adding liquid yogurt to the yogurt bottle containing the L.A.B. capsules, whereby the L.A.B.-containing capsules are automatically and uniformly dispersed in the yogurt within the interior of the bottle. The entire process being carried out in a simple and speedy manner at a low cost.